In all the talk lately of high-speed rail, Caltrain electrification and construction of the Transbay Terminal, the downtown extension of Caltrain (to be shared by high-speed rail) has seemingly been overlooked.

A federal program that helps pay for big rail transit projects in metropolitan regions has helped pay for BART to SFO, Silicon Valley light rail lines and the just started BART extension to the Berryessa neighborhood of San Jose. Muni's Central Subway is expected to receive a federal funding guarantee of $942.2 million within months.

With the latest projects on the way, the MTC decided to select the next ones to submit for the $2.5 billion it expects to receive in major federal funding for big transit projects over the next 28 years. The plan is to press for $650 million in federal funds toward the estimated $2.5 billion cost of the 1.3-mile extension from the Fourth and King streets Caltrain station to the new Transbay Terminal.

- Michael CabanatuanPot clubs yes, banks no? It may soon be easier to bring a pot club than a bank to San Francisco.

On Thursday, the Planning Commission recommended a change to city law that affects banks and other financial services that want to move into most neighborhoods. Those companies now need four "yes" votes from the Planning Commission. The same night, the commission voted to let J.M. Collective, a medical marijuana dispensary, move into Mid-Market. It will be the ninth in a mile radius.

Residents, merchants and some officials objected, saying the area is oversaturated with that kind of business. But there's no legal ban on a cluster of pot clubs.

The Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development spent last year devising a Mid-Market economic strategy that says pot clubs - along with strip clubs, liquor stores and pawn shops - are "nuisance uses." But that plan has no teeth, and it didn't stop the commission from voting 4-2 to welcome J.M. Collective to the neighborhood.

What's more, four planning commissioners have to vote "no" on a pot club to stop it from moving in. That means the bureaucratic bar is effectively lower for pot clubs than for banks.

Speaking of banks, residents of some neighborhoods wouldn't see new banks at all. The approved change groups banks into a mass-retail category with chain fast-food restaurants, bars and movie theaters. In Hayes Valley and some of North Beach, those types of businesses are banned.

Sponsored by Supervisor Eric Mar, the tweak is intended to preserve neighborhoods' unique visual identities. The Board of Supervisors still has to approve the change.

Opting out of voter guides: First, the city banned the unwanted distribution of Yellow Pages. Now comes another tree-saving initiative: the Department of Elections is allowing voters to opt out of receiving that thick Voter Information Pamphlet. (We know, we know: You'll miss seeing the pages of paid arguments in favor of and opposed to each ballot measure, not to mention the rebuttals and the rebuttals to the rebuttals.)

The ability to opt out of receiving the doorstop comes thanks to changes in state and municipal law. Instead, voters can receive an e-mail with a link to an online version. If you can part with the hard-copy version of the impassioned pleas of elected officials, neighborhood groups and gadflies, visit www.sfelections.org and click on the "Go Green" icon. Monday is the last day to opt out in time for the June 5 election. Doing so won't affect vote-by-mail voters from receiving ballots in the mail.